Method of making signs.



N. A. RACHLISS.

METHOD OF MAKING SIGNS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912 WITNESSES mus/won ATTORNEYS COLUMBh PLANOGRAPH c0.,wAsH|NuTON, D. c.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

xrnsr anion.

,NA THANA. RACHLISS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD or MAKING SIGNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. so, 1913.

V Application filed September if), 1912. Serial No. 719,516.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, NATHAN A RACHLISS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the.

Bronx, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method of Making Signs, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved method of making sign letters, characters, and the ornaments incidental to signs.

It is an object of my invention to produce improved sign letters and the like on signboards, from plastic material, such as plaster of Paris, molten or fused metals, alloys, amalgams, fictile or other materials, that become hard and set from a condition of plasticity or fluidity, and hereinafter re ferred to as moldable material.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved method and means whereby the letters may be cheaply produced, and have increased strength and wearing qualities.

In carrying out my invention use is made of a combined templet and mold in the form of a shell having the contour of the letter or character to be formed, so that the shell may be placed on a signboard of wood, metal, or other suitable material to trace the outline of the letter or character, the shell being adapted to receive a charge of moldable material for molding and pressing the letter in place over interlocking and reinforcing elements.

The invention will be more particularly explained in the specific description hereinafter to be given.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan View illustrating a portion of a signboard having the outline of a letter produced thereon as the first step in' my improved process; Fig. 2 is a similar view with a series of headed interlocklng and reinforcing elements driven into the sign followingthe general contour of the letter; Fig. 3 is an under side view of. the shell forming the combined templet and mold, the same being indicated as charged with plastic material; Fig. 4: is a plan view with the mold pressed into place over the driven elements; and Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view.

In carrying out my invention a base is provided, consisting of any suitable signboard material, preferably of wood, part of which is indicated by the numeral 10, and a shell 11, desirably formed of metal, and corresponding in profile with the letter to be formed is placed on said board and the outline of the letter traced on the board, as indicated by the numeral 12 in Fig. 1. Elements. or formations to form an interlock bet-ween the molded letter and the board are provided. In the illustrated example, elements 13 are shown driven into the board, a series of said elements being emplane at all points, so that the edges constitute strike edges over which a strike may be drawn to remove any surplus material and smooth the back of the letter. The shell having been charged with the material and smoothed, it is then pressed onto the signboard at the outline l2, and over the reinforcing and interlocking elements or equivalent formations. The shell or mold with the moldable material, is firmly pressed into place, the said material is permitted to harden and become set; the shell is then removed, leaving the material in the form of a letter or character, and any suitable coloring material or gilding may be applied to the face of the letter, directly onto the moldable material. Coloring may be admixed with the material if desired. Advantageously before placing the mold able material in the shell, the inner face of the letter is coated with oil, if plastic material is employed, to prevent the mold from adhering to the plastic material. In case of molten metal, amalgams, or the like, being employed, the coating material will vary accordingly.

My invention results in the production of signs at a minimum cost and with great facility, and the letters or other characters 1. The herein-described method of forming signs, consisting in placing on a signboard a hollow mold having a profile of .the

character to be formed, marking the outline of the character on the board where the character is to be traced, then providing the board within the outline with elements to interlock the board and the character to be produced, then charging the mold with moldable material then molding the character by pressing the mold charged with said moldable material directly onto the board at said outline, over the mentioned elements, and then removing the mold after the moldable material has hardened.

2. A method of forming signs consisting Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fioinnii s sifoner of Patents,-

locking and. reinforcing elements into the board withins'aid outline, in a series approximately ollowing the general contour .of the character, then pressing against the board and over said reinforcing elements a hollow mold corresponding with the char acter and charged with moldable material, and coated on the inner face to prevent adliesion of the mold to the moldable materi'al, permitting the moldable materialto harden, and then removing said mold and finally finishing the said character. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed my name 'to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHAN A. RACHLISS.

VVitne'sses J. L. MoAULIFFE, EPI-IILIP D. RoLL'IIAUs.

Washington, D16. 

